


No

by Joking611



Series: Cari'ssi'mi Drabbles [2]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Cari'ssi'mi, F/F, Fictober 2019, Mother-Daughter Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-17 11:01:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21053297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joking611/pseuds/Joking611
Summary: Benezia objects to Liara's career plans.





	No

**Author's Note:**

> Fictober 2019 prompt #7 - “No, and that’s final.”

Liara stood straight and silent, waiting to be noticed. Her hands respectfully behind her back as her eyes roamed over the painting on the wall behind her mother.

Benezia, for her part, had not yet acknowledged her presence. The dance they had developed over the last few years was not one that brought comfort to either.

So fixated was Liara that it took her a moment to realize that Benezia was no longer focused on her datapad, but had finally looked up from her work.

“Yes, Daughter?”

Liara took a breath, shutting out the unease she felt, a disquiet that her mother could surely see. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d spoken to her mother in private, away from other members of the House. Years, certainly since Liara had refused to follow the path that Benezia had laid out for her. Had it been five? Seven? How long had it been since they had not communicated by relaying messages through Shiala? How long since their interactions were loving instead of transactional.

Long enough that the very thought made her uncomfortable. The idea of talking to her own mother now brought out the same nervous introspection as talking to a stranger.

If it weren’t for how well her mother still knew her, how easily she could manipulate her, Liara would be tempted to say they had _become_ strangers.

“The University of Thessia at Serrice has responded to my application.” She kept her face impassive, silently proud of herself for letting no emotion show on her face. _‘Let Benezia be happy for me,’ _she pleaded wordlessly. _‘Let this be the event that allows us to mend what has come between us.’_

She knew that wouldn’t be the case.

Benezia’s focus was already split between her daughter and the datapads in front of her. “And?” A sharp response in a tone usually reserved for an ineffective subordinate. “I am very busy.”

“I apologize, Mother. I requested that Alaya find an opportunity when when you were not meeting with anyone else.” _‘And that had been four days ago,’ _she thought bitterly.

The look she received in response told her that Alaya would not enjoy having had her name mentioned in this conversation.

Hope dashed, she doggedly continued when her mother did not respond. “I have been accepted into the Sulilta College of Archaeology for the fall semester.” “As a doctoral candidate,” she added when Benezia continued to stare at her in silence.

Time was a weight on her shoulders before Benezia finally responded.

“No, I forbid it. That’s final.”

Liara blinked, shocked by both the answer, and the flat intensity with which Benezia had delivered it.

“But Mother…” Liara’s fortitude was gone in an instant.

“Daughter.” Benezia interrupted before she could begin her attempt to persuade her. “We have discussed this and I have made my position clear. You have duties to those around you, and to the House which they serve. You cannot meet those responsibilities by digging in the dirt.” She paused for effect. “I have been more than patient with your hobby, and by all means, you should continue to pursue it. Life should bring one joy, after all. However, you will go to school in Armali, where you will study economics and political science. When you complete your degrees, you will intern in Matriarch Heulphea’s office so that you may learn the inner workings of the Conclave. House T’Soni will be yours one day, and I must prepare you for that eventuality.”

Liara looked at her in stunned horror before collecting herself enough to respond.

“I do not need your support, Mother. I have been offered an academic scholarship.”

“Tuition is one thing, but you will find supporting yourself to be difficult without the resources of the House.” Benezia played her final card.

Darkness hooded Liara’s eyes, as the obstinacy that would come to both guarantee her success, as well as destroy her relationship with her mother was again revealed.

“You will not stop me, Mother. I love you, and I respect you, but this is my life and I will not submit to your will in this matter.” With that, she spun on her heel and left her mother’s office for the last time.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Benezia sighed. The child had her stubbornness, and her father’s temper. How she managed to both contain all that energy yet still remain so introverted, Benezia had no idea.

She touched a contact patch on her desk, and Shiala’s face appeared on her terminal.

“Peeress? How may I serve?”

Only Shiala could manage to practically bow over comms.

“Please come to my office, Shiala. Liara will no doubt be reaching out to you soon. We have much to discuss.”

“At once, Peeress.” She closed the connection.

Benezia sat back, work forgotten as she struggled to take the long view for which the asari were so renowned.

_’Liara just needs time,’ _she reassured herself._ ‘Let her study her precious Protheans if it makes her happy.’_

It was easy to forget how goddess-blessed _young_ her daughter was. She was already achieving at the level of maidens twice her age. Let her go to Serrice. Let her find herself. Give it a decade or two, and Liara would come home and they could be a family again.

Everything would be fine.


End file.
